Already a Future Women? Sign in Self Why Wasting Time Isn’t Actually Wasting Time As our lives reach frantic levels, a new trend is taking shape. The simple art of wasting time is having a comeback - and it's proving to be revolutionary. By Natalie Reilly Published 31 January, 2026 Self Why Wasting Time Isn’t Actually Wasting Time As our lives reach frantic levels, a new trend is taking shape. The simple art of wasting time is having a comeback - and it's proving to be revolutionary. By Natalie Reilly Published 31 January, 2026 Previous article Ilhan Omar’s ‘Anti-Semitic’ Tweet Is A Reminder For Politicians Everywhere Next article If Orange Is The New Black, Wealth Is The New Wellness Albert Einstein did it. So did Carl Jung. Mary Oliver could not live without it. And physicist Professor Alan Lightman just wrote a book on it. What is it exactly? It’s the practice of doing precisely nothing.We’ve known for a while now that boredom is often the birthplace of creativity. It’s why parents are urged not to “over-schedule” kids and why Einstein used to go out on his boat a lot – a boat, by the way, that he couldn’t sail very well, and subsequently wound up lost in. But Einstein wasn’t interested in sailing so much as the meditative aspect of the waves, lapping against his boat, and the peaceful expanse of the sea. Join the club Already a member? Sign in Better you Career Best Of Future Women Wellbeing Is work-life balance just the new long lunch? By Melanie Dimmitt Wellbeing Imposter syndrome is a big, fat fake By Melanie Dimmitt Wellbeing Behind the mask: How to master anxiety in the workplace By Georgie Collinson Wellbeing How Krystal Barter is changing healthcare By Melanie Dimmitt Wellbeing Domestic violence systems are failing children and young people: a message this National Child Protection Week By Conor Pall Wellbeing It took an ADHD diagnosis and a breakdown to change my relationship with work By Sally Spicer Gender diversity Soft Power By Briana Blackett Gender diversity Cyber expert laments “lost generation” in online misogyny panel By Sally Spicer Your inbox just got smarter If you’re not a member, sign up to our newsletter to get the best of Future Women in your inbox.
